The Crash
by bookwarm301
Summary: Liz is an ordinary girl. she's a half-way honors student, has a good group of friends, and a family to look out for her. then her life is turned upside down when her bus get's hit by an eighteen wheeler that seemed to be aiming for her and her alone. when she wakes up from the crash, she finds herself in a strangely familiar camp... few OC's, everything else belongs to Uncle Rick.
1. Chapter 1

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Kat called as I walked to my bus.

"See ya!" I called back. The bus lot was filled with kids, staff and, yes, busses. I dashed for mine, hoping that there was a window seat left.

The problem with this county was that there were some busses where kids get their own seats, like my friend Sarah's, and then there are the busses where there are three or sometimes four to a seat, like mine. If you wanted to get a good seat, you had to get on early. No time for idle chitchat.

Lucky for me, there was one open seat in the middle of the bus. I settled down happily, pulling out my phone and headphones. I dove into my music, determined to zone out the voices around me. I didn't really like most of the people on here. Some were my classmates, and I'd known them since middle school, so it's not like I had anything against them. They just had a tendency to be loud and annoying.

After I'd plugged in, I opened my book. I read until we started moving. For some reason, it's hard for me to focus on a book in a moving vehicle. It's not like I get headaches like some people do, but I tend to sink into my own world. I think my mind wonders too much.

For instance, as soon as I closed my book, I started thinking about it. This wasn't nearly the first time I'd read this series, but it was so great it deserved to be reread. Again and again and again. I wished that I could live in that world. It already felt like home to me more than my real home did.

I stared out the window as we made our way towards our first stop, daydreaming about what it would be like to live there. In fact, I was so out of it, I didn't notice the giant white truck headed towards us. I didn't hear the screams above my music. Only too late did I realize what was going on. I yanked my ear buds out and clutched my book to me. I didn't know what to do other than curl up as best I could, putting my backpack in my lap like that could somehow protect me. Then, with a jerk, the truck slammed into us. On my side. I clutched the seat in front of me like so many other kids were doing. The girl next to me was screaming. She sounded so scared I moved myself so I was facing the window, blocking her from it. if anything, I'd take the full force blow.

I couldn't tell if I screamed or not. Before I could process anything, the truck slammed into us again and my vision went black.

I was slow waking. I couldn't remember much. I was so groggy. I could hear whispers around me but…that didn't make any sense. Why would there be whispers?

I could tell that I was on a stone floor. It was really uncomfortable. I forced myself to open my eyes. There was a blue sky above me, a gentle wind blowing. I could smell food, and my stomach grumbled. I hadn't had anything to eat today.

Slowly, I sat up, propping myself up on my elbows. I rubbed my head. It hurt. A lot. That wasn't good.

It was then when I noticed that there were hundreds of eyes staring at me. They all looked confused. I frowned. Where was I? I was sure I didn't know these people.

It looked like they were in the middle of a meal. There were dozens of tables, each with a lot of kids at it, though I noticed that there was one empty, and a few occupied by only one or two people.

"Who are you?" a girl asked from a nearby table, seeming to be the first one to speak.

My head tilted to the side. Oh God, why couldn't I remember my name? I felt a moment of panic before it finally came to me. I cleared my throat. "Um, Liz," I answered.

"Why are you lying in the middle of our pavilion?" a boy from a different table asked.

I sat up a little more. "I…I don't know."

Just then, a man in a wheelchair rolled over. He bent down and helped me up. "Liz," he said gently, "do you mind telling us what exactly you're doing here?" he asked.

I studied him, sure I've seen him before. He had a whisky beard, and a tweed jacket. He looked like a teacher. But there was something about his eyes, how they were kind but concerned, and also a bit confused. He seemed so familiar.

Finally, I shook my head. "I don't know. I…" I tried to remember the last thing before I'd blacked out. When my mind came up blank, I panicked. "I can't remember the last thing that happened before I passed out," I said, starting to shake. Where was I? Why was I here? How did I get here? Who are these people, and why do some of them look so familiar?

The man in the wheelchair squeezed my hand. "My dear, can you tell me anything about yourself? Can you remember anything?"

I tried to think. What did I remember? "My name is Liz," I said slowly. "Short for Elizabeth. But…I don't like being called that," I frowned. "I'm the youngest in my family. I have an older brother. He's…" I racked my brain. "He's eighteen. I'm fifteen, a sophomore."

The man nodded, clearly thinking this through. "What is your brother's name?" he asked.

I thought. Oh my God, why did I have to think? I should know my own brother's name! It just wasn't there.

I shook my head. "I can't remember. I can't remember my parent's name either. Or my friends. Or the name of my school, or where I live," panic started to seep into my voice.

"Hey," a girl said, walking over. "It's okay. Chiron, why don't I take her to the Big House?" she asked.

Oh. My. God. Chiron. Big House. This couldn't be.

If either of them noticed my slight intake of breath or the quickly masked recognition, they didn't show it. "You're right Annabeth. I'll be right over, dear, hopefully with some help."

All I could do was nod. I tried to keep my face blank, but I'd never been a very good actress. At least, I don't think I was.

Annabeth lead me out of the pavilion. She was just as described. She looked about seventeen, blond with seriously intense gray eyes. Right now, though, they showed only kindness. "I'm Annabeth," she said once we were out of ear shot of the pavilion. I could hear a murmur go up as we left.

I ressited the urge to say _I know_. "Wh..Where am I? How'd I get here?" I asked. I needed conformation on the first question, the second one was serious.

"Well, how you got here, I don't know. You just kind of appeared in the middle of the pavilion." Annabeth said. She was obviously avoiding the first question. I didn't push her.

She led me to the big house, which was almost as I had pictured it. There were a few details that were different, but other than that it was the same as in my head. Annabeth led me inside and sat me in the living room. Seymour growled in the corner, but I pretended not to notice.

A moment later, Chiron wheeled himself in. two kids walked in behind him, both boys. "Liz, this is Nico and Clovis. I think they may be able to help."

I nodded to them politely. It seemed to come naturally that, despite that I was freaking out, I still had to be polite. Guess I was raised that way.

Clovis's eyes were drooping, his hair messy. He looked ready to take a nap. Nico, though, looked curious. A bit distant, but not nearly as much as he'd been at the end of the last book. That made me feel a little better. At the moment these feelings about these people were the only things I was sure about.

"Now Liz," Chiron said. "I need you to trust us, okay?" he asked.

I looked at all of them. Normally, I don't think I'd trust strangers, but these people didn't feel like strangers. I felt like I knew them all pretty well. Well…maybe not Clovis, but at least I know him a little. I knew I couldn't show that I knew, them, though. I didn't want to freak anyone out more than they were probably trying not to freak me out.

But the only thing I could remember clearly were ten books that meant everything to me. and here the characters of the books were standing in front of me, flesh and blood. I remembered every detail clearly, and I knew that if I couldn't trust the people standing in front of me, then I couldn't trust anybody.

Slowly, I nodded.

Chiron looked surprised, like he hadn't expected me to put my trust in them so easily, but it felt right, somehow. Like I'd done it before and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Chiron nodded to Clovis. Without a word, Clovis stepped towards me and put two fingers to my forehead. I passed out. Again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to those who reviewed! That means a lot to me. **

**Sorry if this chapter isn't the best, but hopefully it'll shed some light on Liz for ya. **

**Hope ya like it. **

In my dream, I was on a bus. A truck was smashing into us. Kids screamed. The bus driver tried to get away, but it was no use.

Then I saw the scene of the crash. Cars were squished, the bus was in a heaping pile on the side of the road. It looked like there were still people digging through the wreckage to find others. Kids, parents, and emergency vehicles were everywhere. Everyone looked almost okay. The people who had been on my side of the bus were being put into ambulances. Others just looked shaken. The girl who'd been sitting next to me was crying, along with more than a few others.

I noticed a black truck on the scene and walked over to it instinctively. Inside sat a boy about seventeen or eighteen, talking into his phone. "I don't know where she is!" he exclaimed. "They haven't found her yet." he voice sounded broken, and my heart contracted. I realized that this must have been my brother. He looked too much like me and his voice was immeidatly familiar.

Suddenly, a police officer walked over to him. "Sir?" he asked.

"I gotta go, I'll call you back in a sec," my brother said, then hung up. He looked at the officer hopefully.

"We found your sister," he said, though he looked like there was still some bad news to come. "But she's in a bad state. She's being rushed straight to the hospital. Would you like to ride with her?"

My brother nodded immediately. He turned to the truck. "You guys got this?" he asked. I hadn't noticed the other two boys in the car.

"Yea man, go," the one in the passenger seat said.

My brother nodded in thanks and followed the officer to an ambulance. I briefly saw the form of a broken body before the doors closed and the ambulance drove off.

"She's not a demigod," I heard a voice say. "That much I'm sure."

"Then who is she?" another voice asked.

"We'll have to talk to her more once she wakes up. Annabeth, will you send an Iris-Message to Reyna? Maybe the Romans will be able to shed some light on this."

Slowly, I groaned and opened my eyes. The others in the room looked over at me. Annabeth was gone, but the boys all looked down at me. I was lying on the couch, a thin blanket draped over me. I sat up, rubbing the grogginess out of my eyes.

"Liz," Chiron said eagerly. "What did you see?"

I stared at them, not knowing what to think. "I…I think I was in a crash." I explained what I saw, causing the boys looked troubled.

"That explains what I sensed," Nico said.

I felt dread settle in my stomach, but I spoke with an even voice. Guess all that practice of keeping myself together after something major happened in a book that made me freak out inside has paid off.

Okay, how can I remember that, but not my last name?

I forced myself to stay on topic. "What do you mean?" I asked Nico.

Nico looked at me with sympathy.

"Well, we can't very well leave her clueless," Chiron said.

"Why not? She's a mortal." A voice said. It was the first voice I'd heard when I woke up. I looked over and saw a man in a cheetah print cloak reclining with a can of Diet Coke in his hand. My mouth watered a bit. I love Diet Coke.

Chiron gave an exasperated sigh. "Mr. D, with all due respect, she's our guest now. Until we can figure out what's happened to her, she should know the truth."

Mr. D sighed, but acted like he didn't care. "Fine, but don't blame me if Father gets angry."

Chiron seemed to take the risk, which was brave considering who Mr. D's father was.

Chiron explained everything to me. About the Greek and Roman gods and their children, about the two camps. He said that I was a mortal, and that I pretty much shouldn't be here, but since I was, I may as well not be kept in the dark.

I pretended to act surprised, but it wasn't anything that hadn't been confirmed the first time I'd heard his name.

I looked at Nico and Clovis, question in my eyes. "Son of Hades," Nico said.

"zzzzz," Clovis was snoring.

"Hypnos?" I said it like a question.

Chiron raised his eyebrows, and I flushed. "I, ah, remember some things. Random little tidbits of information. Hypnos is the god of sleep right?"

Chiron nodded. "Mostly. I suppose it'll be good that you know a thing or two. At least you won't be clueless."

Oh, you have no idea.

"Well, since you're so smart, do you know who I am?" Mr. D asked. he looked curious, like he was testing me.

"Um," I said, studying him. of course I knew the answer, but I had to make it look good. I looked around, at the grape vines that decorated the walls, at the Greek drama masks, at Seymour growling in the corner. "Dionysus," I said. "God of wine."

Mr. D sat back, satisfied. "Very good." he said, and I got the feeling that he was congratulating me on more than just getting the question right. "Now the rest of you get out. I want a word with our new guest."

The others looked nervous, but they nodded, and left without a word.

As soon as we were alone, Mr. D chuckled. "You're a better actress than you're given credit for."

I scowled. I knew Mr. D wasn't loved by the demigods, heck I didn't even like him that much. But he's still a god. He still has some serious power. "What am I doing here? You obviously know me, but you're not saying anything to Chiron."

Mr. D shrugged. "It's a test. You've probably already guessed that you're in a coma. Only a part of you is here. But everyone can see you."

"Why? Why am I here?"

"Because you know the books like the back of your hand. And you're important." That seemed to be all he was allowed to say.

"Important?" I nearly laughed. "I'm not important."

Mr. D studied me a moment. "There's plenty of empty rooms upstairs. I'll have Argus show you to one."

The moment his name was said, Argus appeared. The sight of him startled me slightly, but I recovered quickly. I had to admit, he was handsome for a guy with a hundred eyes. Slowly, I got up and walked over to him.

"Oh and Liz," Mr. D called. I stopped and turned back to him. "You may want to keep this between us."

I nodded, then turned and walked out without another word.

The room Argus took me to was average, I guess. There was a bed, a dresser, and a door that lead off into a bathroom. A full length mirror hung on the wall.

I looked up at Argus. "Um," I said, not sure how to phrase the question, or even if he was the person to ask. "I don't think I've eaten all day. Or…well…it feels like I haven't," I stammered. Why was I so bad with talking to people? It wasn't even his eyes that bothered me. They all looked a bit concerned for me. And curious.

He grunted and nodded. I remembered that he didn't talk, supposedly because there were eyes on his tongue.

He left without a word, closing the door behind him.

"I don't know if that was him being rude or not," I muttered to myself.

I sat on the edge of the bed and wished I had a book to read. Never mind the fact that I was living in one of my favorite stories. I get the feeling that reading would calm me, so it didn't really help that I was book free at the moment.

With a sigh, I got up and walked over to the window. It looked out onto the volleyball court, where there were a few campers and satyrs playing one last game for the night. I knew it had been afternoon when I'd passed out, but how much time had passed since then? I know I saw myself being taken to the hospital, but that might have been hours ago. In fact, I'm sure it was. I don't know what was going on with my body. Am I in surgery? Are my parents pacing some waiting room, desperate for news on if I'll survive?

I pushed the thought back. I didn't want to think about them. It'd be too hard. I already have so much to wrap my mind around.

A moment later, a knock came to the door. Reluctantly, I pulled myself from the window and went to open it.

A girl stood on the other side. She wore a green dress and had flowers in her air. Her skin was tinted slightly green. A nymph. Behind her stood Argus.

"Hi!" she said in a perky voice. "I'm Juniper. I was instructed to bring you some food?" she said it like she was asking me if I was still starving. Which I was.

I smiled. Despite how confused I was, there was no reason to push her away. Besides if she is who I think she is, I defiantly wanted to get to know her. "Thanks!" I said, to both her and Argus. I knew he was the one who went and got her.

Juniper came in, setting a plate of food on the bedside table. "You must be hungry." She said.

"Believe me, I am. I don't think I ate lunch or breakfast." I said. The smell of the food made my stomach rumble.

Juniper frowned. "Why?"

I looked down at my figure. Or lack thereof. "Wasn't hungry then." I said, which I knew immediately was the answer I gave everyone. Guess I had a habit of not eating.

A troubled look crossed her face, as well as Argus. But they didn't say anything. "Well, we'll leave you to your food. Chiron wants to see you downstairs when you're done, by the way." Juniper said.

"Okay," I answered, and they left.

I took my time eating. I get the feeling that I'm normally a very picky person, but in this case I knew I wouldn't have that much of a say in my food, so I decided now would be the time to try new things.

I found that I liked this type of barbeque, though I knew that I'd only ever get it here. I also didn't mind the beans that much.

Once my hunger was satisfied, I took a breath to calm myself, then made my way to the living room.

Chiron was waiting by a roaring fireplace. He was still in his wheelchair, and I wondered if I'd get to see him come out of it. I'd always had trouble picturing that.

Chiron turned as I came in. he gave me a small, welcoming smile. "I trust you've settled in?" he said.

I tried for a light tone. "In all honesty, there wasn't much to settle."

Chiron chuckled politely and motioned for me to sit down in the chair next to him. I did so, and felt the warmth of the fire wash over me. I relaxed slowly, enjoying the warmth.

Chiron must have seen this, because he spoke in a soft voice that matched the roar. "Liz, I know that this is a lot to take in, but we have to know a few things."

I stared into the flames, not trusting myself to look at him. "I'll tell you anything you need to know. I just want to know what's going on." it was true. I had no reason to keep anything back from him.

"I was hoping that now that you've had some time to yourself and something to eat, that maybe you've remembered more than when you first arrived?" he sounded doubtful, but I knew he'd had to ask.

I had thought about it. It was another reason why I'd eaten slowly. "A few things," I admitted. "My brother…I don't know. Now that I've seen him, I'm starting to remember more about him. His name is…"I racked my brain. It was at the tip of my tongue. "Christopher, I think. Everyone calls him Chris, though."

Chiron nodded. "Go on."

I chewed my lip. "A few other things that don't make sense. Feelings, mostly. Feelings that should pair with memories, but the memories are gone." I felt myself getting frustrated. How can I explain this?

Chiron was patient. He let me gather my thoughts. The fire seem to help, though. The warmth wrapped around me like a blanket and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, focusing on that. "I remember being happy, sad, frustrated, nervous, sick. Whenever I see certain things, like this fire, familiar feelings come back, and I know that I've felt it before because I can put a name to it. Or when I hear something, I can suddenly remember that I have some sort of connect to it. Like…when Mr. D was drinking his soda. I immediately knew that I liked Diet Coke. Or earlier when I guessed that Clovis was a son of Hypnos. The information just came to me, like it's always been there, but when I reached for it before, it wasn't there. I don't know."

"And how do you feel right now?" Chiron asked softly.

I sighed. "Home."

I jerked back suddenly. My eyes were still closed, but instead of seeing darkness, I saw flames of a fire in a fire place. It wasn't here at the Big House, though. It was in another house. I was curled on a beanbag chair with a light blanket draped over me, a book in my hands. In the background, I could hear the noise of a TV show, though I had no idea which one. Over that, people talked. A man's gruff voice followed by a woman's higher pitched one. I couldn't make out words, but their voices comforted me almost as much as the warmth of the fire. A leg touched mine, but barely, and I didn't have to look up to know that it was my brother. Two fur balls were curled up on the floor next to us, taking in the warmth of the fire just as much as we were.

I felt so content at that moment. I felt like I was home.

I opened my eyes, only to find that I was in the Big House. Chiron had a hand on my arm, a worried look in his eyes. "Liz? Are you okay?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "I think I just had a…a memory or something."

Chiron looked curious. "What is this memory?" he asked.

I shook my head. "It was a winter night that much I could tell. Chris and I were curled up next to the fire. Each of us reading a book," I smiled at the mere thought. "my two pets were curled up next to us. A dog and a cat. My dad was watching TV and talking to my mom. It just felt so…normal."

Chiron was thoughtful. "Like home."

I nodded. "Exactly."

Chiron absentmindedly rubbed his beard. "Interesting." He muttered.

I shook my head in wonder. "Chiron, what did Nico mean earlier, what he sensed?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

Chiron leaned forward, a troubled look in his eyes. "Nico's a son of Hades. He…he can sometimes sense when people are dying."

I bit my lip and nodded. "And if I was in such a horrible crash…"

"Then perhaps you are," he said.

I sighed. "I think I'm in a coma," I said. I know Mr. D said to keep this between us, but I got the feeling he only meant to leave him out of it. I'm not to tell that he knows anything. As far as the rest of the camp knows, he's just as clueless as everybody else. "So why am I here?"

Chiron shook his head. "That, my dear, I don't know. Do you feel like you did before you came here?"

I shrugged. "Emotion wise…well yes, obviously. Sense wise…well I guess so. I mean, I feel the heat of the fire, I can feel my own skin. I still get hungry and exhausted. And I bet that if I were to get hurt, I'd feel pain." I shook my head, mystified.

Chiron looked thoughtful. "I wish I knew what to tell you. Annabeth, the girl who brought you here, spoke with our friends in California. They're just as confused. They're going to try and get something out of their books to see if they can help." I knew without asking what books he was talking about, but I didn't' say so.

Instead, I turned to Chiron. "Do you happen to have an empty notebook or journal? I feel like writing."

Chiron seemed a bit startled by the request, but he nodded. "I'll see what I can find."

I smiled. "Thank you." the journal thing felt right somehow. Like none of this would be real until I was able to get it on paper.

He returned my smile. "Perhaps you should get some rest my dear. In the meantime, I must go check on the campers."

I nodded in understanding. I knew they'd be at the camp fire right now.

"Get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning." He promised, then rolled himself out.

I stayed by the fire for a long time. I was reluctant to leave the warmth of it. Eventually, I felt my eyes close.

**There you have it! Again, I apologize if it's not the best chapter in the world, but I hoped you liked it!**

**Thanks for reading and please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to hoOPJO for reviewing last chapter! Here's an update for ya. **

**Hope you enjoy! **

I was standing in a hospital. It was obviously night time, probably the same time as it was at Camp Half-Blood. I saw myself lying in a bed, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

My left arm and leg were in casts. There were bruises all over me, as well as cuts. Tubes that were attached to tons of machines around me were connected to multiple parts of my body. So many it made me nervous.

Chris sat by me, holding my right hand. He looked like a wreak. "Oh Ellie," he muttered. "I'm so sorry. This is my fault."

I was so startled I didn't even think about how he'd called me Ellie. How could a crash be his fault?

"Come on, man, you couldn't have known," a voice said from the door way. I turned and saw another boy standing there. One of Chris's friends that had been in the car earlier.

"I shouldn't have stayed!" Chris exclaimed. "I knew that there was no reason for me to stay, but I still told her to ride the bus."

His friend looked down at me worriedly. He patted Chris on the shoulder, not knowing what to say.

"Damn, where is Mom and Dad?" Chris muttered, ignoring his friend.

"Excuse me, sir?" a nurse said as she walked in. there were other nurses with her as well. "We need to prep your sister for surgery."

Chris looked up at her, his eyes looking like broken glass. "Again?" he asked.

"We have to see if there's anything we can do about her brain. It's in a fragile state." She said.

That didn't seem to reassure Chris, but he let them take me, leaving him and his friend alone. "Hey man, you should get some rest," his friend said.

"I won't be able to sleep. Not until my parents get here." Chris responded.

His friend just sighed. "I'll go get us something to eat."

I was jerked awake by someone shaking me. I rubbed my eyes and blinked. I was in bed in my room. It took me a moment to realize what happened. I was at the Big House. At Camp Half-Blood. A place of my dreams.

I looked up at the person who woke me. It was Argus. I sat up slowly, looking around. I didn't remember coming back to my room last night. Someone must have taken me.

Argus nodded to a plate of food on the table. Breakfast. It looked amazing. Pancakes, bacon and orange juice. My stomach rumbled.

I blinked in surprise. "Um…thank you Argus." I said, true to my words. I hadn't expected him to bring me breakfast. I'd just assumed I'd be forced to face everyone at the pavilion.

Argus grunted again, then handed me a leather-bound journal. At this, I grinned. "Thanks!" I said, more enthusiastically than I'd sounded for the breakfast. Attached to the journal was a pen. Argus shrugged in a way that told me he was just delivering.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks," I repeated.

He seemed surprised at that, like he'd never been told thank you before. He just studied me with those hundred eyes before he came to some sort of conclusion. He nodded once before he left me to my breakfast.

Well that was weird.

Deciding not to think too much into it, I ate while the food was still hot, then I sat at the desk in the room and wrote furiously. I decided that this would be my journal, a place to write everything that was going on in my head. There was no one here that I trusted enough to share everything with. Besides, I'd always been better at writing than talking. It showed from the way words flowed through my pen the way they hadn't flowed through my mouth. It was much easier to think this way.

_Date: Not sure. Early fall_

_I'm writing in this journal because there's no one I can talk to other than myself. Writing's always been a type of therapy for me, I'm pretty sure anyway. I'm having a bit of memory problems._

_Right now, I'm sitting in the Big House at Camp Half-Blood, a camp for kids who are half Greek god and half human. I can't believe it. It's everything I thought it'd be. I haven't had the guts to venture out of the Big House yet, but what I can see blows my mind. The strawberry fields, the cabins, the arena. All of it is suddenly there, in front of me. I've spent so much time picturing this place in my mind that I don't know what to think. I mean, it's beautiful. It's amazing. But it's so overwhelming._

_I've already met Annabeth. Briefly. She was kind enough to me, though I'll have to remember to stay on her good side. I haven't met any of my other hero's yet, and I'm not sure what I'll do if we do cross paths. I wonder if Percy actually wrote those books. If so, I'd have to talk to him about it. This is just too weird._

_Or maybe this is all a dream._

_So as far as I can tell, I'm in a coma. I was riding home from school on the bus and a giant truck slammed into us, on the side that I was on. I must be in a coma, because I'm having weird dreams. I see myself in a hospital with someone who I believe is my brother with me. He looked extremely worried, and I got the feeling that if he knew I'd been watching, he wouldn't have broken down like that. I broke my heart to see him like that._

_I don't remember much. I know my name. I know I have a brother and parents and two pets. But I only recently remembered my brother's name. Chris. He looks like a Chris. I don't remember my parent's names, or their faces. I know what they sound like, though, which is a relief._

_So as far as I can tell, my name is Liz. It's short for Elizabeth, but I hate the name with a passion, though Chris called me 'Ellie' in my dream. Another nickname, I guess._

_I love books. I've been yearning for a story, and I haven't even been here a full day. I love to write too. it helps me organize my thoughts, even if this seems to be all over the place. At least I'm getting my thoughts down on paper. Otherwise, I think I'd go crazy._

_I like sweets and bacon and pancakes. I seem to be a pretty picky eater, but I'm forcing myself to eat what they give me, and I'm finding that I don't mind it. The nymphs are very good at what they do._

_So far, no one knows what to think of me. Chiron is nice enough, but I get the feeling he's just trying to figure out what to do with me. Mr. D (or Dionysus) seems to think that I'm here for a test of some sorts. The only problem is that I don't know how to take this test. I hate that. How am I supposed to pass if I don't even know what test I'm taking?_

_Everything is just so jumbled. My thoughts. My feelings. Everything. I'm not sure when I'll be able to face the other campers. I know that they'll all look at me like I'd grown a second head. I'm sure rumors have speared about me already. After all, I did land in the middle of them having dinner last night. I'm not sure I want to hear them, or be bombarded with questions._

_I think I've taken high school to heart._

_Another thing I've figured out about myself. I'm shy and self-conscious. I don't like to be the center of attention and I'd rather watch things from the sidelines than actually participate in them. Far as I can tell, my friends are somewhat the same way. I don't think I have a boyfriend. Or ever had a boyfriend. As a matter of fact, I don't think a boy has ever looked at me as a romantic partner. I think I have guy friends. A few. But they're all like brothers to me. I think. I'm just going on my emotions since my mind is so jumbled._

_At least I have friends. That has to count for something._

_—-_

_I've been in my room all day. I've been writing on and off. I hate hand cramps._

_Throughout the day, I really just sat at my window and watched everyone. Yea that may sound stalkerish, but I can't help it. It fascinates me. These people, most of which have been nothing but images in my mind for the past four years. Who am I kidding? This whole place feels like a dream. Maybe that's what it is. A dream. Because this was the book I had been reading at the time of the accident, my mind has put me here as a form of comfort._

_But if that were true—and I have to consider everything—why does everything feel so real? I can feel pain and warmth and cold. I've never had very vivid dreams before._

_I'm sure Chiron is wondering where I am, but far as I can tell, he has classes. No time to worry about the comatose girl. Frankly, I'm not surprised. I get the feeling that I'm used to being ignored. The third wheel, I guess, so I'm in no way surprised that no one's been by to check on me. I don't' have the guts to come out._

_I'm kind of reluctant to try and make friends. If this is just a dream—just something my mind has created while the doctors try to take care of my body—then I don't want to attach myself to anyone. I have a feeling that I'd miss them once I woke up. If I woke up._

_I've seen a few people glance up at me, but they quickly averted their gaze and kept walking. No one bothered to say hi._

_A few minutes ago, I saw Annabeth walking with a good-looking guy. Seaweed Brain. Percy. Persassy. He has so many names from his fans. I know that there are plenty of girls who would take Annabeth's place in a heartbeat. But at the same time, no one could ever fathom the two of them splitting up._

_Plus, everyone's afraid of Annabeth._

_Anyway, the two were talking in what looked like a heated conversation. Then, as if they could sense me watching them, they both turned to look at me. I looked away before either of them caught my eye._

_Something weird just happened. It's dinner time, but I don't want to go down to the pavilion. I haven't eaten since this morning, but that's okay. I'm used to it._

_Anyway, a few campers had been walking by the house. It was a group of guys who had been heading towards the pavilion for dinner. Then, out of nowhere, one of them looked right at me. I froze, now knowing what to do. He said something to one of the other boys, who glanced at me also. The other boy just shrugged and shook his head. The other boys continued on their way, but that one boy kept looking at me a moment longer before he turned away and ran after his friends._

_What was that about?_

_I mean, I'd obviously never seen the boy before, and because of the distance, I couldn't make out his features clearly. Why in the world would he look at me? I'm not someone worth looking at. Though, I suppose, that my presence here is a bit questionable._

_Well, it's pretty late. I should probable go to bed._

I closed the journal and put the pen down, rubbing my hand. I'd been writing most of the day, just writing the thoughts that came to me. I still hadn't eaten, and I figured I couldn't rely on someone bringing me food every day for every meal. It's a camp, not a hotel. I'm sure Chiron's hoping I come out.

Well I'll have to eat eventually.

**So the journal thing. Yes? No? Some? Let me know please! **

**Thanks for reading and please review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**It's been a while but I think I'm going to try this again. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

_Date: According to Chiron, it's the 24__th__ of September_

_Argus insisted that I come downstairs. I had a feeling that I didn't have a choice, but at least he was nice about it. He at least left me alone to get ready. I just got finished taking a shower. They gave me a camp shirt and some clean jeans to wear. It's so weird. I've always wanted this. To be at this camp and wear this shirt. But it's all too much like a dream. I'm not sure I'm ready to believe it. _

_Argus is knocking on my door again. I've stalled long enough. Time to get this over with_.

I made my way down the stairs with Argus behind me. Chiron was waiting in the corridor that lead to the front door. He looked slightly surprised that I'd actually come down.

"You should interact with the other campers." He said, frowning at me.

I shrugged. "Guess I've had too much of people talking behind my back." I said.

Chiron's frown deepened. I knew he was thinking that I was starting to remember more, but it was simply a feeling like just about everything I've assumed. "That shouldn't stop you. There are plenty of campers here to befriend."

I nodded, though I didn't feel very confident in it.

I walked with Chiron—who'd come out of his wheelchair. It was a bit strange, but amazing at the same time. I put the thought away to write down later.

The campers were just filing in as we came in. Almost all of them turned to look at me. I kept my head down, only looking up to make sure I wasn't about to run into anything or anyone. Sometimes, I really hate being social.

Once all of the campers were at their tables, Chiron officially introduced me.

"As many of you know, we have a visitor," he motioned to me, and I stood reluctantly, forcing myself to look around the room. I gave a small smile and tiny wave. "This is Liz. Please, treat her as you would any camper." I wasn't sure that was the best thing to say. Already, I could see some of the Ares kids raising their eyebrows at me.

Chiron made a toast to the gods, and the food was served. When everyone started their offerings, I looked at Chiron with a question in my eyes. "You probably should," Mr. D answered. I figured he just wanted some more offerings, but when Chiron nodded, I got up and followed the other campers.

I didn't really know what to say, so I just muttered. "To the gods," and retuned to my seat.

After breakfast, I watched at everyone started their activities. I didn't really know what to do. Mr. D and Chiron walked off, telling me that I could do what I pleased as long as I stayed out of trouble. I sat at the table by myself, thinking about what I could do. Frankly, I didn't want to wonder the camp like an idiot, but I couldn't think of anything better to do. I'd be no good at any of the activities, that much I was sure of.

"Hey Liz!" someone shouted as I got up from the table. I started and turned around.

Annabeth was walking towards me with Percy by her side. I didn't have to even guess. He had sea green eyes, black hair that fell into his eyes. As he got closer, I could practically smell the sea on him.

I forced myself from him to Annabeth. "Hi," I said. "Annabeth right?" like I need a reminder.

She nodded, seeming surprised that I remembered her name. "Right. This is my boyfriend, Percy Jackson." She motioned to him. I smiled politely, though shyly.

Percy smiled back. Oh my god his smile.

_He's taken, he's taken, he's taken_.

"Liz," Percy said in response to my smile.

"We were wondering if you wanted a tour?" Annabeth asked. "This place can get pretty confusing if you don't know where you're going."

"I'd love that," I said, the relief evident in my voice.

We started with the cabins. There were more than I ever imagined. Annabeth pointed out the twelve Olympians cabins. They were amazing. Better than I ever could have come up with in my head.

Annabeth must have noticed my lingering gaze on the books in her cabin, and she smiled. "A book lover?" she asked.

I smiled shyly, averting my eyes. "A bit. I prefer novels, though."

Annabeth shrugged. She leaned in close so Percy—who was a few feet away, talking with another camper—wouldn't hear. "We've got plenty of those," she promised. "We just don't put them on display for the sake of our reputation. Children of Athena, you know."

I stifled a laugh. "I get it." I said.

She smiled. "I'll bring some by before dinner, okay?"

"Thank you Annabeth, really," I said, feeling grateful to her. Books were my escape, and I wouldn't mind some of that right now.

"No problem." Annabeth smiled.

When we got to the strawberry fields, I thought I was going to pass out from the smell, it was so amazing.

"I don't think I've ever smelled anything so fresh!" I exclaimed.

"Then you've been missing out." a voice said from beside me.

Startled, I looked over and saw the boy who stared at me yesterday. There was a row of strawberries between us. I hadn't even noticed that he was there.

"Max," Annabeth said, coming up beside me. "What are you doing here? You never come to this side of camp."

"On contrar," Max said. "I thought it was high time I take a look at our famous strawberry fields. Besides, I'm a sucker for a good snack." he said with a slight smirk.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be at archery?" she said.

"Aren't you?" Max shot back.

"I asked Malcom to take over for me for the day. I wanted to show Liz around."

Max rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We finished a little while ago, but Clarisse is wanting one of you," he nodded to her and Percy, who had wondered off again. He'd gone to talk to a satyr playing his pipes. "As a challenge. Preferably both of you."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Tell her I'm busy."

Max looked at me, then back at her. "Go on Annabeth. You know how she gets. I'll take over Liz here."

The thought of being alone with him made my stomach flip. Annabeth and Percy I could handle. I know them, in a way. This boy was a stranger.

Annabeth looked at me, asking if it'd be okay.

I cleared my throat. I didn't want to be complicated. Besides, I didn't really want Clarisse's thoughts on me. "Yea, that's fine. Go do what you need to," I said with what I hope was a reassuring smile.

Annabeth looked unsure, but she shrugged. "Alright. I'll see you later?" she phrased it as a question.

I smiled. "Course."

Annabeth squeezed my arm then ran to get Percy.

"She's a good counselor, though sometimes those two need to learn the term, 'get a room'." Max said.

I laughed, surprising myself.

"So she's your…half-sister?" I asked.

He nodded. "Max Racer, son of Athena at your service." He stuck out his hand over the strawberries.

"Liz," I responded, feeling a bit put out that my introduction was so boring compared to his.

"I know. The whole camp is talking about you," he said.

I frowned. "They are?" though hadn't I suspected that all along?

"Oh yea. It's not every day that a mortal girl gets plopped in the middle of camp," he said. He sounded like it was no big deal. But I wasn't so sure.

Seeing my troubled look, he was quick to cover his tracks. "I mean," He said quickly, "it's not a bad thing. Everyone's just curious."

I nodded, but I was buying it. Where there was one curious person, there was a suspicious one as well. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but still.

I just sighed. "Can't blame them."

Max decided to change the subject then. "So where did Annabeth and Percy leave off on the tour?" he asked.

"Um," I cocked my head to the side, thinking. "The woods, I think."

He nodded and started walking. I had to jog to keep up with him. "So the thing about the woods," he said, "Is that there's monsters crawling in them. A mortal like you…well I wouldn't go in without someone armed with you."

"So a guard?" I asked. I didn't really like the idea, but at the same time, I didn't want to take any chances.

"You could say that. I don't think you'd have much need to go in there though," he said as we made our way toward it. He led me into a clearing where the canoe lake was.

"This is where I like to go to relax," Max said. "The naiads typically protect their area pretty well, so it's safe here." he assured me.

It was relaxing, I had to admit that. There was something about the wind in the trees and being near the water that relaxed me. I felt a familiar sensation of a memory trying to surface.

"So," Max started, breaking me out of my reverie. The memory was gone as quickly as it had come. "What's the story?"

I glanced over at him. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"About you. What's the story?"

"Oh," I struggled to find the right words. "I don't think I'm supposed to say. At least not until Chiron wants me to." I even sounded unsure to myself.

Max snorted. "It's your life isn't' it?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Well, I don't even understand what's going on. I don't think I want to tell anyone until I get my thoughts straightened out." I was babbling. I knew that I was babbling. I was starting to get the impression that I'm a babbler.

Max nodded, not seeming to notice, or care, my babble. "I can respect that. At least tell me about you." he said.

I bit my lip. "I'm afraid there's not much to tell. I don't remember a lot."

"Well, what do you remember?"

I studied him. Close up, I saw that he had gray eyes also, but they had speck of brown in them, making them look almost hazel. His hair was red, though the kind of red that almost looks blond. He was built, that's for sure. I could see muscles bulging from his biceps. He seemed pretty laid back, for a son of Athena, though I had no doubt that he could fight.

"What I remember…" my voice trailed off as I thought about it. What did I remember? I'd been asking myself this question since the moment I woke up, but the question was still a hard one to answer.

I thought for a long time, trying to figure out how to phrase it. "I remember little things," I started. "I remember what it's like to feel safe and content. I remember feeling certain things, but I don't know the memories attached to it." I chew my lip.

Max frowned. I could tell that the wheels in his head were turning. "That's weird." He said.

I nodded. "Look…I don't really want to talk about it. It just confuses me even more."

He nodded in understanding. "So, let me ask you something."

"You just did."

Max frowned, then grinned. "Alright, smartass."

I couldn't help but giggle. "Fine, what is it?" I asked.

"Why were you hiding yesterday?"

My smiled faded. I sighed. "That's what felt natural, I guess. I wasn't sure I was ready to face everyone staring at me and whispering behind my back."

"Trust me, it'll die down eventually," max didn't sound so sure.

I sighed, then decided to change the subject. "So what about you?"

He looked surprised. "What about me?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I told you what I could about me. Now it's your turn."

He ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up in weird directions. "Uh, I don't know," he looked about as uncomfortable as I had felt. "There's too much that I'm trying to forget."

"Wanna trade places?" I asked in a light tone.

It took him a moment to figure out what I mean, but he grinned. "If I could, I would."

I let out a breathy laugh, though the conversation had gotten a bit more serious that I would have liked.

"Hey Racer!" someone called behind us. We turned to see a group of guys walking towards us. I recognized them as the boys he'd been walking with yesterday. "You comin' or what?"

Max bit his lip, then glanced at me.

His friend seemed to follow Max's gaze, and his eyebrows shot up. "This her?" he asked, walking closer to us, the other boys following. They all looked at me curiously.

I ignored the looks and smiled. "Hi, I'm Liz." I said.

The boy in front—the one who'd spoken first—smirked. "Yea, I know. The whole camp knows." He sounded eerily like Max had earlier.

My response was immediate. "Well that doesn't mean I don't have manners." My voice was clipped, surprising even me. My voice had also taken a slightly different accent.

The boys raised their eyebrows. "Country girl," one said.

I frowned, though I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "Does it matter?" I asked.

"Well it does tell us a bit of where you're from," the other boy said. This one had a basketball tucked under his arm. Every now and then he'd toss it to the other side.

I hadn't thought about that.

Thankfully, Max cut in. "Is there a reason you're here?" he asked.

The boy in the front raised his eyebrows. "You don't remember? You promised us a rematch."

Max sighed. Obviously, he hadn't forgotten.

"Come on man," a boy said. "We need our captain."

Max rolled his eyes, then turned to me. "Would you mind…?"

"Go on," I said without hesitation. "Don't let me keep you."

Max nodded, but there was something in his eyes that caught me off guard.

"Alright, well see you around," he said, then he and his friends walked off.

**I admit, it's not a work of art, but I hope you at least liked it! **

**If you have any ideas in what Liz should encounter in her alone time at Camp Half-Blood, I'm open to them! **

**Please review and thanks for reading.**


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